Solons Pass Law Shielding Job Applicants' Social Media Passwords

Chamber of House of Delegates, Maryland State Legislature. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Maryland, which enacted the nation's first shield law to protect journalists in 1896, is now also the first state to protect job applicants' social media passwords from prospective employers' perusal.

The (Maryland) Gazette.net Web site and the Raycom News Network reported that the Maryland legislature nearly unanimously passed the measure that Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to sign. The bill, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union and opposed by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, bars employers from demanding applicants provide passwords to their personal Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts.

Other states, including Michigan, Illinois and California, are considering similar legislation to preserve the privacy right of individuals.